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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Our second Commercial Sales team
blog comes from Ken Fine, Commercial Sales Rep for Massachusetts and the
Northern Midwest. Here’s some background information on Ken:

Ken has worked with commercial
growers at Johnny's Selected Seeds since 1999. Prior to coming to
Johnny’s, Ken studied as an apprentice at the UCSC Farm and Garden Project
in Santa Cruz, CA. He then operated a 3 acre Market Garden in coastal Maine,
selling specialty lettuce and produce to area stores and restaurants. He likes
to stay current with successful farming techniques, trends in consumer
interest, and the best varieties of vegetables, herbs, and flowers available.

Current sales territory:Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

For his
blog topic, Ken has taken the opportunity to describe a few of the farm-based organizations that help foster
constructive change in their local communities. These types of organizations
can be found throughout the U.S, creating sustainable alternatives in our food
system and helping people - especially young people - be inspired and experience
personal growth by growing food.

THE FOOD
PROJECT- MASSACHUSETTS

Recently I
received news of the year-end harvest dinner at one of Johnny’s long-term customers. The Food Project in Massachusetts celebrates the achievements of
the staff and volunteers at the many Food Project facilities in Lincoln,
Dorchester, Beverly, and elsewhere.Atthe 2nd
Annual Gala - Celebrate the Harvest event, the organization featured guest Will
Allen of Growing
Power. According
to theFood Project website,their mission is to “grow
a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse
backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system. We produce
healthy food for residents of the city and suburbs and provide youth leadership
opportunities...”

MOUNTVIEW FARM:

Sometimes,
one farm can make a huge impact. Founded by Michael Docter as Food Bank Farm in
Hadley, MA, the good work of growing food for the benefit of the community has continued into
the next generations there.Apprentices from Food Bank Farmhave
gone on to start their own CSA programs serving thousands of subscribers in
Massachusetts. One apprentice, Benjamin Perrault of Mount
View Farm in Easthampton has carried on another tradition. His bustling
farm still plants a portion of their acreage specifically to produce first
quality vegetables for The Food Bank
of Western Mass.

According
to their website: “Mountain View Farm leases a large parcel of land owned by
The Food Bank and, in exchange, we provide 100,000 pounds of fresh, local,
chemical-free produce to The Food Bank for distribution to front-line food
assistance providers and people in need throughout our region. In Berkshire,
Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts,
approximately one in every ten people suffers from chronic food shortages or
needs emergency food assistance.”

Mount View Farm in Massachusetts

GROWING POWER -
WISCONSIN

AtGrowing Power, based in
Milwaukee, WI, founder Will Allen does more than make inspirational keynote
speeches. The many facilities powered by staff and volunteers of all ages and
backgrounds are growing tremendous quantities of quality farm produce that goes
directly to the people of urban Milwaukee who need it most. In fact, one of the
missions of Growing Power is to
alleviate the perils of living in a “Food Desert” that traps so many urban
residents.

Established
in 1993, Growing Powerhasoffered agricultural-based training, hands-on experience to community
members, and spread their mission that you “cannot have healthy communities
without a healthy food system.”

Growing Power High Tunnel full of Greens

DETROIT,
MICHIGAN-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

Another
rapidly expanding healthy food movement location is Detroit, Michigan. There,
staff and volunteers of Greening of Detroit,Earthworks
Farm, and countless other small community projects are utilizing
available land within the city to make a difference. Healthy food and healthy
lifestyle choices are becoming available to thousands in the community who are
eagerly embracing the delights of farming and gardening.

To
learn more about any of these organizations or to locate one near where you
live, follow these links or get in touch with me for more information.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Dear friends and customers,
On behalf of Johnny's Selected Seeds, we invite you to join us in sharing your opinion with the FDA regarding new Produce Food Safety Rules and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

We recognize that most of you will be touched by the proposed changes, in some cases dramatically. While the day-to-day demands of farming may keep us running from sun-up to sundown, when it comes to legislation that places the very livelihoods of many farmers across our country in jeopardy, it's time to express your well-earned opinions.

To learn more about the rules and leave your comments, visit Regulations.gov. To date, the grower's voice is underrepresented. With your input, the FDA will get the "real dirt" as to just how the specifics of this proposed legislation -- constituting the largest food safety overhaul in more than 70 years -- could impact your farming operations.

We encourage you to speak up now -- the FDA's comment period closes November 15th!

By taking the time to participate in the discussion now, you can make a real difference in the long run. And again, thank you for choosing Johnny's as your source for seeds and more -- we look forward to serving you for many years to come.

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Growing Ideas with Johnny's Selected Seeds

About the blog: Here's what's growing on at Johnny's Selected Seeds! We'll answer your questions, let you know what's happening at the farm, and give you plenty of ideas for growing and gardening.Johnny's Mission: To help families, friends, and communities to feed one another by providing superior seeds, tools, information, and service.